I Dare You
by awkwardautumn1021
Summary: Peeta is dared to pretend to fall in love with Katniss. The only problem is that it may not be pretend, which would defeat the whole point. Let's just say someone is out to get Katniss with no mercy intended. Will the fretful attempts to hurt Katniss succeed? Modern day AU
1. Chapter 1

I Dare You

...

I look in the mirror, unsatisfied with... _this_. I fiddle with my braid, twisting it violently. "Katniss! Time to go!" I hear my mother yell in a sing song tune, from outside of my room. The glass of the mirror reflects to her standing in the doorway watching me. I try to ignore her, but fail when she walks up to me. _Go away, _I think scowling at her.

She frowns sadly. "What's wrong?" There's concern in her eyes and voice that makes me feel guilty and embarrassed. I go inside the bathroom and lock the door. I'm not going to school today. Why? Because I don't want to.

My mind flashes back to yesterday. Glimmer and her stupid, blonde curls. She never leaves me alone! None of them do. Clove, Gabby, Ilene, all of them. If they hate me so much, why don't they leave me alone?

I can't make sense of their repetitive visits. Banging on the door snaps me out of my thoughts. "Let's go." My mom orders. I look in the mirror on the cabinets. _Let's see, boring gray eyes, braid we see everyday weaved together from crap, dark brown hair strands, and gross sausage lips. _They're not my own thoughts, making it questionable that I dare even believe them. It sounds like something Glimmer would say to get on my nerves.

Brat. Even when she's not here, I hear her sickeningly sweet sounding, insulting remarks. I unlock the door to find my mom's angry, flushed face contort into a worried one. "What's wrong?" She asks just like earlier. I hate when people ask me that.

"I'm fine." I answer brushing past her. I pick up my bookbag from the hallway floor, heaving it on my back while clutching the straps, then sliding my arms through.

...

Our car drives up next to the school's entrance. I immediately take note of what I'm wearing- white button up with skinny jeans and brown fur boots. I look perfectly fine and I don't care what anyone at school will say. My mom and I say our goodbyes and I open the car door to get out. "Are you sure you're okay?" My mom asks just as a kid my age walks by.

"Mom." I whine. She throws up her hands in defense. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She says. I huff, getting out and slamming the door. I storm away to the school doors. I hear mom drive away. Thank guiness.

As if I need anyone besides myself to make an embarrassment out of.

...

I meet Amber in the 9th grade hallway. "Sup Foxface." I say fistbumping her. "Nothing much, kitty cat." She answers.

"Do not call me that!" I yell in laughter. "Meow." Amber taunts. I roll my eyes, laughing a little more. Madge walks up just then. "Hey guys. Let's go to the library." She says.

We all walk together to our newfound destination.

Once we arrive, I find a perplexing sight. Cato reading a book. "Cato reads?" Madge asks in a whisper. "I guess not everyone puts knowledge to good use." I express simply.

"It'd be of some good use if the boy put it in his head." Someone whispers from behind, their breath tickling my neck. And it wasn't Madge or Foxface.

I whip around to find none other than Peeta Mellark. He blinks at me with his long, blonde lashes, nervously smiling. "Hey Peeta." Madge friendly greets. Thank God! I couldn't make words come forth my lips. "Hey guys." He says. After an awkward silence, he walks away.

He looks over his shoulder at me before studying a bookshelf. "Poor boy." Amber/Foxface says. I don't want to know what she means, so I go to a bookshelf, pretending to be interested in a certain book. They follow me, of course. "He's got it bad." Madge agrees. I feel them staring at me and ignore them by staring more intensely at the book in my hands which I have no interest in whatsoever.

Amber knocks the book out of my hand. "Hey!" I protest. "Come on, Katniss, he loves you." She declares dreamily. I pick the book back up. "You can only read the blank cover so many times!" Amber shouts. Madge laughs. "Foxface." I whine in nervous laughter, eyes darting about.

Peeta catches my eye before I quickly look away. Madge looks over to Peeta, noticing. Dang her observations. "Just admit he likes you and you like him, so I can find out what happens next in The Hunger Games!" Cato yells in agitation. We all glance in his direction. He is anxiously concentrating on chapter something.

Poor kid really looks to be in distress. "I agree with Cato." Foxface states. "If you make her admit to something like that, it won't count. Young love is very delicate." Madge argues. "What young love?" I whisper angrily in question. "I don't know. How do you know I'm not in love with Cato?" Madge jokes. He looks over his shoulder.

"I'm just kidding!" Madge quickly backtracks. Me and Foxface laugh. "Seriously though, I dare you to get next to Peeta and pretend you're looking at a book." Foxface declares.

I shrug. "Easy enough." I state. Madge and Foxface look at each other smiling.

They better not be planning something. I walk over next to Peeta, picking up a book and feigning interest in it. I feel his blue eyes on me. "So you like reading books?" He asks, eventually. "Ha. No I hate it actually." I answer, then realize what I just admitted to. I look up at him in panic. He smiles, amused.

"Then why are you in a library?" He breathes out laughing shortly. "I-I don't- my friends...made me come?" I answer in distress. "Right." Peeta says, probably just to reassure me. He scoots closer to me, and looks at me like he's about to share a secret with me. "I don't really like reading that much either." He whispers. Now I'm really confused.

He watches me amused the whole time. "Then why - " I start before I'm interrupted by the bell ringing. Time for class. "Bye." I tell Peeta, walking away. I meet up with Madge and Foxface, who are grinning for some reason.

...

In homeroom that day, someone throws a paper ball at my head. I catch it before it drops to the ground, glancing in the direction it came from. Clove. She grins mischievously, waving at me in a patronizing manner. I scowl and turn back to the paper ball in hand, uncrumpling it. _You look like a boy with long hair._ The note reads.

I snort and crumple the paper back into a ball, aiming it in the trashcan. This is just silly. The note is such a frivolous attempt to hurt someone, it's laughable. I'm amused more than anything. I feel like turning around just to tell her, "You have the maturity of a five year old." But I don't. She's not the only one who has made comments about my looks.

...

When it's time for gym class, I scurry to my locker before someone can steal my clothes. They know my locker code. I swing open the locker after unlocking it to find...nothing.

Great. Now I'm going to have to wear sweaty clothes for the rest of the day. We're running laps for this gym period. No exceptions. I put on a lot of deodorant.

As I'm running laps around the school with the other 9th graders for this class, Glimmer tries catching up with me. I accelerate my speed so as to not be caught at the same pace.

I don't want to hear whatever it is she has to say. I know she took my clothes. Well, it was her idea at least. She could've gotten her friends to do the dirtywork like always. I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

"Don't feel bad." Glimmer says, panting between words. She's a skinny thing, but never had much stamina. "Stealing the clothes was simply helping you. Don't want to reveal your ugliness even more by wearing shorts and a tee shirt, do you?" She giggles, then runs away. I find my gym clothes in a mud puddle up ahead. I stand, looking at the now dirty mess of garments. Frustration builds up in me, making me short of breath.

What did I ever do to make them so hateful towards me? Out of anger that drives to impulse, I kick over a giant rock. I bite my lip to keep from crying out when it hurts my toe.

I suddenly hate everything. Finnick jogs up to me. "What's the problem?" He asks.

"Stupid girls threw my clothes in this mud puddle." I mutter bitterly. His signature smile fades. "Really?" He asks this time with sympathy in his sea green eyes. "Yeah." I answer walking past him. Then I remember I'm supposed to be running laps. I pick up my speed.

When we get back to the locker room, I redeodorize and put a perfume on called, 'Twilight Woods'.

...

I'm unknowingly walking down the hallway, when I trip over a perfectly pedicured foot. "What the - " I start before falling over. My bookbag that magically has unzipped throws up all my books and...personal items. Panicky, I begin to gather up my stuff. No one needs to know what tampons or lip gloss I use. I see a flash of blonde hair sway as the owner of it runs towards me. Peeta.

What's he doing? He stops in front of me smiling, without having to catch his breath. I happen to know he is very athletic, which must be the reason for his stamina. When he bends over to pick up a binder, I look up at him in confusion. "What are you doing?" I ask, almost in suspicion. He hangs out with Glimmer and her crew. I don't see why he would care enough to help me.

His blue eyes sparkle up at my dull, gray ones. "Helping you. Is that okay?" He says, noticing my discomfort and almost annoyed by it. Well I'm annoyed by his annoyance. "Fine, I guess." I answer to him with frustration. Even though I might possibly like him, I still don't trust him because of his associates. You can't not be influenced by your friends.

I pick up one of my own binders, distracted by Peeta. Again. He's laughing. Why is he laughing? I look over at him, to find him reading the notes me, Madge, and Foxface wrote to each other earlier today in my notebook. "Peeta!" I scold, snatching my notebook up. "I'm sorry." He apologizes.

I watch him to study his blonde hair ruffled from today's events and lips stretched into a small smile. Even his eyes smile, pillows of skin underneath them. He catches me staring. "Oh! Um, it's okay." I twist my braid nervously, casting my eyes down. I sense him smiling at me before putting more books in my bag. I close the notebook in my lap and slide it in the bookbag as well. Noting that he is busied with packing up my things, I take the chance oncemore to observe him. His eyes were already watching me, so this time he is caught staring.

My lips twist into a smirk I try to suppress as I look away, putting a pencil in my bag.

...


	2. Chapter 2

I Dare You

Chapter 2

...

I get a few texts from Madge and Foxface that night.

**looking 4 u... **From Madge at 3:40

**where r u? **From Amber at 3:47

**dude, hurry up **From Amber at 3:54

**ok we r leaving now **From Madge at 4:00

**where wer u? **From Madge at 4:25

**ditcher! **From Amber at 4:31

After Peeta helped me pick everything up and put it back in my bag, we did a lot of stuff together. I begin to replay the events that happened in my head, hoping to find a reasonable excuse to tell Madger and Foxface as to why I didn't show up.

_"So, why is it that you chose to help out the outcast all your friends hate? One of which probably tripped me over in the first place." He stands up and laughs short, nervous laughter. I look at him indignantly. "Oh, um..." He runs his hand through his golden locks that I really want to touch right now. "I just...wanted to?" He sounds unsure, only making me skeptical._

_"Well, thanks." I stand up straight, turning to go. Unexpectedly, he grabs my hand. I look at him to display my confusion through a facial expression."Wait." He says. "Peeta, I have to - " I pause on that sentence when he turns over my hand and runs his index finger up my palm. A mix of a sigh and giggle escape my mouth involuntarily. My face warms in embarrassment. He smiles with triumph followed by a twinge of guilt and befuddlement that swirl in his eyes a few seconds later for some reason. His blue eyes are friendly and open, but sometimes provide a mystery that goes unsolved._

_I wish I knew what he was thinking sometimes. Eventually he leads me to where he left his bookbag, which is right on the bench next to - ugh - Glimmer's locker. He starts unzipping his bookbag, scavenging through the contents inside. Eventually, he pulls out a bag of cheese buns. I can tell by the smell wafting from it. And, well, it kind of is labeled with the words, 'Cheese Buns'. Immediately, emotions rise within me because of the memories baked in those loaves of bread. _

_And the only way to keep from crying is to laugh. My lips form a nervous smile that imply I'm trying to keep a secret. I'm mostly trying to keep two things from happening - tears collecting in my eyes and dropping noticably, or laughter bubbling up to the point where I can't hold it in anymore. I guess you could say I'm on the verge of becoming hysterical. Peeta observes me, becoming sad. "Katniss?" He asks in a quiet voice. I turn away from him slightly, but not out of perspective. _

_"I just - I just -" He stutters guiltily. People who are filing out begin to watch us. "You don't have to take it." He informs steadily. I grow with impatience brought on by irritation. "Peeta, of course I'm taking the damn bread. How could I not?" I answer determined, facing him and snatching the bag. He grins with amusement twinkling in his eyes._

_"You can heat it up when you get home. It's probably cold from sitting in my bag all day." He admits._

_"Mm. Yummy." I tease sarcastically. Cheese buns sound delicious, but any bread sitting in some kid's schoolbag all day isn't exactly appetizing. Thankfully, Peeta seems amused rather than offended by my sarcasm. I wipe a tear that has escaped my eye before he can notice. The memories... Those cheese buns bring it all back. It's a story to tell much, much later on to Foxface and Madger. How am I supposed to explain why these stupid buns mean so very much to me?_

_I look at my phone to check the time, pressing a button that lights up the screen. I ignore the already increasing number of text messages. It's 3:53. I'm supposed to be going home. But Peeta wants me elsewhere. He keeps looking at me in that way, I can tell. By the way he bites his lip and scratches his head, I know. He wants to take me to where we met. The nightmaric, hauntingly familiar home of abuse and abandonment._

_The place we'll never forget. "Peeta - " I protest before he says anything. "Just come. Just promise me that much." _

_"I can't." I answer shakily, closing my sweater tighter around me. _

_"But Katniss," He begs reaching for me. I turn around coldly, automatically becoming introverted. He wraps his arms around me from behind, hugging me close. "Please?" He asks. I sigh. "Peeta, let go of me." _

_"I don't think I can do that." He answers laughing. _

_"Well, I don't think you can be the boss." I retort. _

_"Katniss." He whines. _

_"My bread is getting stale, you needy dimwit." I offend. He lets go. I smile reasuuringly at him. He looks at me carefully, narrowing his eyes a bit. "You confuse me." Peeta expresses. I scoff. "Well, bye." He bids, dismissing me from the scene along with himself as he walks away. If it wasn't for our past, I wouldn't have done it. I wouldn't have picked up his bookbag he left behind, tapped on his shoulder, and said, "I'm coming with you."_

After that, we went to where Prim used to live. It was a journey long dismissed, but I had to make peace with the homestead of a broken family, shattered remains now easy to brush aside. Peeta walked me home, leaving a request that I have not responded to as of yet. It was when I was in front of my door, about to knock when I realized my mom was probably freaking out. It was 7:54. I was supposed to be home 4 hours ago. I knocked on the door, checking my missed calls and missed text messages. I had 7 missed calls from my mom. Along with the texts from Madge and Amber.

They were going to hate me for a little bit. My mom swung the door open, face red, hair frizzed, and wide panicked eyes. "Thank guiness. You know I almost called the cops? You are so grounded." I walked in the house miserably. She shut the door rather loudly. "I'm sorry, I went out for a long time. " I said trying to think of a better explaination. I just really didn't want to tell her everything. Or anything.

The moment I mentioned a boy, all kinds of paranoid questions would roll off my mother's tongue. I went to the fridge to get a soda. "Where have you been?" Mom asked exasperatedly. I took a coke out and put it on the counter. "Um...I was...I went to visit Prim and forgot to tell you about it. I'm sorry." I answer honestly. "Is that it?" She asks skeptically, but more gentle. I take a moment to think. "I went to the bakery too." I say.

We stare each other down as I try to go back to my room without questioning and she tries to shake information out of me. "Very well. I'll find out soon enough." Mom says with finality. I turn around and reach up to the cabinets that hold our cups and glasses, taking one to fill ice and the carbonated drink in. I bring it to my room. When I walk through the doorway I'm met with a surprise. Madger and Foxface in my room. I raise my eyebrows.

"Madger and Foxface!" I greet. They remain in their sitting positions on my bed, looking at me suspiciously. "Come sit." Foxface orders, patting my light green comforter. I laugh. "Thanks for inviting me to sit on _my _bed." I say sarcastically, but in amusement. "So." Madge says when I sit. "So." I mimick. "Where were you?" Madge asks. I put my drink down on the white bedside table.

"Out and about." I tease. Foxface scowls. "Tell us!" She snaps. I look at her questioningly. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't meet with you guys. I forgot to call - " My mom steps in my room in the middle of my sentence. We all turn to look at her. "Katniss, where's your bookbag?" She asks. I become confused, then recall Peeta carrying it for me. He must have forgotten to give it back. "Oh, Peeta - " I stop, realizing what I almost admitted to. My mom raises her eyebrows. "Peeta what?" Foxface asks, laughing. "Peeta carried it for me." I tell them truthfully. I can't look at anybody.

I take a sip of coke."Katniss Everdeen! Were you out with a boy all day?" My mom asks in a mix of anger and bemusement. "Yes, mom, but it wasn't like that." I say covering my face. This is ridiculous. I hear footsteps start from my doorway traveling a distance away and know she's gone. I uncloak my face to see two smiling, very annoying as of now friends. "So what was it like?" Foxface asks, waggling her eyebrows. Madge giggles.

"Ooh, Katniss." She teases,flicking her hand like a priss. "Whatever." I say, smiling but rolling my eyes. "Do you guys want to watch a movie?" I ask. "No,we want to talk about Peeeta." Foxface says, folding her hands. "Uhh, no." I conclude. "Katniss." Madge whines, shutting her eyes impatiently. "We are spending the night to torture you about Peeta. All. Night. Long." Madge announces, pointing her finger at me like a disciplinarian. "No. No talk about the boy with the bread. You can spend the night, though." Foxface is suddenly silently laughing.

She looks like a lion roaring with her red hair mane and everything. "What is it?" I ask innocently. "The boy with the bread." She breathes out. "Is that like your nickname for him or something?" I blush. Madge and her bust out laughing. "Shutup." I order.

. . .

Author's Note- About the place Katniss and Peeta visited, you'll find out how that ties in the story soon. And sorry for the late update, but I promise, I got some cool stuff planned out for you to look forward

to! And the reason for my tardiness is because, well, I got stuff goin on and my chargers kind of broke so...yeah.

But everything's cool now! Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Makeovers, Tardiness, and Sexy Music

I Dare You

Chapter 3

. . .

"Gosh, Katniss, when was the last time you plucked your eyebrows?" Foxface asks, tweezing yet another eyebrow hair to yank it without warning from my follicle. "Seriously, Katniss, you're growing a stache." Madge observes out loud, voicing her thoughts. I cannot believe I'm letting them give me a makeover. "I might kill you guys later for this." I warn in notification to them with almost playful sarcasm. Madge laughs gleefully. "But you'll be so pretty when we're done, Katty." She promises. "Uh huh. Somebody's gonna be getting free bread for a month." Foxface jokes.

Just for that little comment, I pick the tweezers out of her hand, plucking one of her eyebrow hairs out. I am not gentle. "Ow!" She shouts dramatically with a tad exaggeration in her supposedly strained voice brought on by minimum pain. She places her hand over the irritated area above her eye, rubbing it soothingly. "I'll get you my pretty, and that little sexy bread boy, too!" She cries out, impersonating the Wicked Witch of the West from Wizard of Oz. I have to laugh slightly at her quirky jesting.

Madge begins brushing my dark locks out. She said she loves my curls, but first has to brush them out and then, afterwards, will re-curl it. Having very much ignorance in the hairstyling, I can't help but ask myself, What's the point? Though despite my questioning them, I choose to refrain from saying such inquiry out loud. They are my friends after all, I should put full trust in them. When they are half-way done with what Madge calls _Beautifying, _ I recieve a text message from Peeta. We used to be really close and I still have his cell number. Apparently, the same goes for him.

**Hey, how's it going? **

**Terrible. Madge and Amber are giving me a makeover. **

**Sounds horrifying:)**

**It is**

Our conversation is short lived, but I feel closer to him somehow because of it. He never has texted me initially, except for way back in the past. I kind of look forward to seeing him soon. I don't realize I've been staring at the screen of my iPhone for the longest of times until Madge asks me, "What's wrong?" I look up at her from where I sit in an antique chair, covered with floral paintings,almost startled by her presence. It's as if she wasn't here. Which is funny for me to think, considering she burned me with the curling iron a few times. "Nothing's wrong. Just...checking the time." I lie. She looks at me funny, puzzled, but shrugs it off.

"You can look in the mirror if you like." Madge tells me. And I do. And that girl in the reflector, sure can't be me. Her hair...looks like she actually did something with it. I stare at my reflection, admiring my cascading curls, until that pretty facade has suddenly gone amiss, contorting into the image I've come to see more often than not. And that can only be my recently painted self portrait of someone ugly and unbeknownst to me. My eyes are finally detached from my own reflection and placed on Madge,who stands at my side with forlorn distress casted over her features.

She is remorseful for giving me a makeover. How did I forget she was here, forgetting her presence and my manners altogether? "Madge," I immediately start on an apology for my delayed gratitude I'm supposed to portray in sake of her feelings. "Madge, I - "

"Do you not like what I did with your hair?"

"I do, but my head doesn't deserve to have this beautifully done hair on it."

She laughs. "Whatever, I have to get dressed." She says, walking out of the green doorway of my bathroom. "Me too." I state, following her out and into my bedroom. Foxface is on my bed, brushing the tangles from her straightened, fiery red strands of hair. She eyes my brown locks and gives a thumbs up to Madge. I go to my closet to look for clothes to make an outfit. There's a red blouse with lace at the collar that catches my eye. I snatch it off the hanger. Up close, it isn't as appealing. I'm about to hang the shirt back up when I remember...do I have a bra on? Subconsciously, I press my palms to my breasts. No bra.

I walk over to the white, oak dresser and open the top drawer that contains my underclothes. Except, this dresser is ancient and rickety, so when I open the drawer it rocks the entire dresser against the wall. A golden picture frame is knocked over in the process. Instinctively, I reach out to catch the antique looking object, but Foxface grabs the thing before I can. Which is good. Otherwise, whatever treasure that laid atop my dresser would be broken as of this moment.

She turns my mystery treasure over in her hands curiously. Eventually, I see the picture face side up. As soon as my line of vision is directed towards the old photo of Prim Everdeen, an orphan girl from a broken home, I snatch it up. In this picture, she must be eight years old. I remember the day the photo was taken. It was before I really knew much of anything about her. I was at the park in search of an adventure. What I didn't know, is that, in a way, I had come across one. Prim wasn't afraid of anything. She would go anywhere with anybody, even if she hadn't been so much as acquainted with them. I took her to Coal Cove, the place my father worked, despite its darkness and unpleasantries, not quite the place of best fit for an eight year old. I even took her to my old, little seam home I used to live in. Prim seemed to be a merchant child. Why would she want to know the standard of living of that of the seam?

Surely even an eight year old merchant knew of the luxuries they indulged in did not stretch to the poor side of town. Prim was happy to come just the same. I also took her to the bakery, which of course was easy enough with the appetizing scent of pastries going up her nostrils. Some of the places I took Prim were dangerous though, like the Red Cliffs or the swamp swarming with alligators, snakes, and other vicious creatures. The only place she never wanted to go was home. I remember this one time -

"Katniss?" Foxface inquires concernedly, interrupting my thoughtful flashbacks and snippets of memories.

I look up from the photo. Both Foxface and Madge stare at me, mystified.

"What?" I ask, my voice hollow.

"Who is that?" Foxface asks, reaching out for the picture I still grasp tightly.

My automatic response is to clutch the picture tighter, as if that will keep the little girl smiling in it safe. Madge's eyes become wide with interest and glow with observance.

Foxface raises her thick, brown eyebrow at me challengingly. "Sorry." I say softly, putting the picture frame in its place on my dresser. I don't take my eyes off of it. "Her name was Prim." I recall distantly. After a few seconds, I snap out of my daze and continue my search for a bra, peering in the recently opened top drawer.

Among the sea of underclothes, I choose the light green, lace bra that contrasts starkly against my dark ember skin, then pushing the drawer back in.

. . .

We're sitting around the living room eating eggs and bacon when they ask me.

"Did Prim die?"

It actually just comes from Madge, which makes sense considering how thoughtful she is. Foxface, well, it seems to just hit her that Prim's death is a possibility as the bacon in her mouth pauses on its way. I don't hold any resentment toward her for it, in fact I was counting on her absentmindedness today to ensure no suspicion. There's no way I'll be able to talk to them about this without misunderstandings. I set my fork down and hear it clatter against the plate.

"Prim is nowhere to be found. The last I saw her, she was in a police car." The words built like a fire in my mouth before I spat each out like flames. My ferocity was unintentional and uncalled for. I saw this in my friend's faces. I immediately apologize and they instinctively accept, but I can tell by the frequent glances and thick tension in the air that we'll have to talk about it later. Before we make leave, Foxface paints stuff on my face. Make-up.

I look in the mirror to see what coating she applied to my eyes and lips, the places I felt touched. Pink balm and very faint black eyeliner. My lashes have been volumized, evidence that she also used mascara. I like that none of the powdered minerals on my face have been applied too boldly. "Thanks, Foxface." I say looking up from the mirror.

"No problem." And then we're out the door. We walk to school, since my mom is at work and can't drive us. Foxface kicks a pebble. Madge stares at the ground, but doesn't really stare at it, probably lost in her own thoughts. We continue our walk in silence, until -

"Whatever happened to the girl in that picture, Katniss?" Madge inquires suddenly.

Her blue eyes look up at me, so desperate for information in that one glance.

I know I will end up consenting in the end, might as well get it over with and tell her now.

I huff frustratedly, like a horse exhaling. I have to categorize what I want to inform her of, and what I don't. I'll give the explanation this situation calls for without spilling my need to talk personal stuff this close to school."Prim was an orphan, actually, until she got adopted. Her foster parents,..weren't good people. They lost custody of her and the authorities took her away. That's why she was in the back of a police car."

"So she didn't die?" Foxface asks, turning around in interest.

"No." Madge and I answer, too keenly aware of Foxface's occasional oblivion.

. . .

When we reach the building that is our middle school, we sprint to class, probably tardy. We don't stop by the office though. Well, Madge does, but the office lady just sends her to class and says to hurry before she really does need a tardy slip. Madge nods, jogging out. Foxface and I watched the scene unfold as we waited, shaking our heads. She laughs lightly when she sees us. "You guys didn't have to wait, you know." She says.

I roll my eyes and walk with her and Foxface. We break out in a sprint oncemore, remembering our terrible timing. It was a long walk to school. We seriously need to get cars, or some form of transportation besides our unreliable feet. I wish my mom could drive us. Oh well. Foxface is in a different class than Madge and I, so we part ways. I walk into the classroom and pretend I wasn't running, Madge following behind.

Mrs. Whisnut eyes us in a scrutinizing manner. "Madge, I expect an earlier attendance from you. Katniss...eh." I laugh at her expression of expectations. I can't help that I walk to school most days, lady. It's not until I drop my bookbag, sit in my seat,and see her look of disapproval that I realize I voiced my thoughts. She shakes her head at my surprised response, and seats herself at her desk behind a computer. This is homeroom so we can all be lazy, socialize, or catch up on homework and studies. I'm about to turn toward Madge when,

"Hey, Katniss." Peeta greets with his hands in his pockets, standing up.

I turn around for brief eye contact, and give a rather dismissive, "Hey." Before I continue my way to Madge. He gently touches my arm from behind, catching my attention. I really look at him this time, - blonde, tousled hair, faintly pink cheeks, blue, oceanlike eyes, and very light-colored freckles splayed across his nose and cheeks. The sunlight from outside reflects the gold off his eyelashes."Nevermind." He says all of a sudden, ruining the moment without breaking me out of my trance. I watch him in a rush of enchantment. He's making sexy music play in my head as he walks, and then walks to,..Glimmer? Ugh.

The sexy music in my head has definitely been stopped. Someone taps on my shoulder. Madge. She has this knowing smile on her face that annoys me profusely. "Katniss, I hate to interrupt whatever this is..." She gestures between Peeta and I. "But I..."

"Shutup." I order playfully, pushing her away from the scene.

. . .

Author's Note- Sorry this chapter is overdue! I just wanted to make it really good for y'all!;) 'Cause y'all are the best. Anyways, in case you didn't notice, there is going to be more of a plot developing than intended initially. It has to do with Prim, Peeta, and Katniss. Which goes to show that Peeta and Katniss have a somewhat deeper connection than you originally might think in the story, which is why (spoiler alert) Peeta's betrayal revealed in later chapters is so shocking! Thank you for reading, loves, and hope you enjoyed.

Oh! And I will be holding a contest in which the best reviewer gets a special surprise! Haha ;)


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